March 19, 2013

Railroads Reap the Benefits of Innovation in Culvert Pipe

After years of using concrete pipes, Norfolk Southern examined the benefits that new corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe could have for their award-winning Regional Intermodal Facility in Rossville, Tennessee.  Historically, the railroad had specified heavy gage, riveted, annular corrugated metal pipe with a bituminous coating, or reinforced concrete pipe.  However, the article notes that “new focus on the benefits of using corrugated HDPE pipe, including corrosion resistance, cost of construction, and structural capacity under Cooper E80 Loading conditions, led to its selection for the Norfolk Southern facility.”  As a result, the Norfolk Southern Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility project was named Project of the Year by the Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) in 2012.

---